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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-06-22 Daily Xml
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WATER FLUORIDATION

In reply to the Hon. A. BRESSINGTON (30 September 2010).

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Public Sector Management, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises, Minister for Gambling): The Minister for Water has been advised:

Note: There are two forms of fluoride used by SA Water to fluoridate water supplies namely sodium fluoride (powder form) and sodium hydrofluorosilicic acid (liquid form).

1. Sodium fluoride is currently purchased from Orica Chemicals Australia for use at the Mount Pleasant water treatment plant. Sodium fluoride is secured in PVA sachets which are stored in containers with tamper proof lids which are stored on pallets with a shrink wrap seal. The sodium fluoride is transported to the Mount Pleasant site by a licensed carrier contracted by Orica.

Sodium hydrofluorosilicic acid is currently purchased from Orica Chemicals Australia for use at Morgan water treatment plant, six Adelaide metropolitan plants contracted to United Water and ten plants contracted to Riverland Water. It is delivered in bulk tankers by carriers contracted to Orica.

2. Small quantities of sodium fluoride are stored within a locked storeroom at the Mount Pleasant water treatment plant site.

The quantity of the sodium hydrofluorosilicic acid stocked varies at each of the 17 other sites according to usage. It is stored at each site in bulk storage tanks located in specifically designed chemical storage areas.

3. Trained operators are responsible for fluoride dosing at each site.

4. A Certificate of Analysis is provided for each batch of sodium fluoride and sodium hydrofluorosilicic acid.

5. The Certificate of Analysis contains an itemised list of trace components including arsenic, lead and heavy metals for each product.

6. Mount Pleasant water treatment plant consumed sodium fluoride in 2009-10 at a total cost of $2,125 including delivery.

The costs of sodium hydrofluorosilicic acid, including delivery, for Morgan and the six metropolitan plants operated by United Water, in 2009-10 is $662,140.

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